Upgrade Metadata (Conversion)

Summary

Updates an ArcGIS item's metadata or a stand-alone XML file to the current ArcGIS metadata format.

The current release of ArcGIS will only maintain information in the ArcGIS metadata format. For example, if an ArcGIS item has metadata in another format it must be upgraded to ArcGIS metadata before ArcGIS will automatically update it with the item's current properties; the item's properties are recorded in ArcGIS metadata elements.

Upgrading metadata for the current release of ArcGIS will not change the existing metadata except to add ArcGIS metadata alongside the existing information. The existing metadata will remain unchanged.

Learn more about upgrading metadata

Usage

Syntax

UpgradeMetadata_conversion (Source_Metadata, Upgrade_Type)
ParameterExplanationData Type
Source_Metadata

The item whose metadata will be upgraded, or a stand-alone XML file that will be upgraded.

Data Element; Layer
Upgrade_Type

The type of conversion that will take place.

  • ESRIISO_TO_ARCGISUpgrades ESRI-ISO-format metadata. ESRI-ISO metadata is typically created with the ISO metadata editing wizard provided with ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 and earlier releases.
  • FGDC_TO_ARCGISUpgrades FGDC-format metadata. For example, FGDC metadata may have been created in ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 with the FGDC metadata editor. FGDC metadata may have been created outside ArcGIS.

An upgrade type must be specified; otherwise, no conversion will be performed.

String

Code Sample

Upgrade FGDC metadata to ArcGIS metadata

Upgrades information in an ArcGIS item's metadata formatted following the FGDC CSDGM standard to ArcGIS metadata.

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
env.workspace = "C:/data"
arcpy.UpgradeMetadata_conversion ("locationMap.mxd", "FGDC_TO_ARCGIS")

Environments

Related Topics

Licensing Information

ArcView: Yes
ArcEditor: Yes
ArcInfo: Yes

11/14/2011